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Paris
'Count Paris '''is a major character and the climax antagonist of Shakespeare's tragedy play ''Romeo and Juliet. He is a noble of Verona who seeks Juliet's hand in marriage, despite her disgust towards him, truly becoming an active threat in the fifth and final act, when he attempts to slay Romeo. History Count Paris is a well-to-do noble in Verona, and a kinsman of Prince Escalus. He's first seen in the second scene of the first act, when he goes to confer with Lord Capulet, head of the Capulet household. He bids that his daughter marry him, but Capulet turns this down, saying that Juliet is much too young for marriage. Paris states that women younger than her have been made happy mothers, and Capulet adds that some are made mothers/wives far too early. Yielding, Capulet invites Paris to the imminent ball, asking him to woo Juliet if he really wants her hand in marriage. Paris doesn't quite make his mark during the party, and Juliet falls for the Montague Romeo instead. However, when Tybalt dies a couple of acts later into the play, Capulet in his twisted idea of perking things up elects that Paris will without question marry Juliet, rushing the marriage to this Thursday. Before even greeting Juliet, Paris hurries to Friar Lawrence's church, to officiate the approaching wedding. Here, he happens upon a devastated Juliet, who just committed to the undertaking in which she is to fake her own death, to elope with the banished Romeo. Paris deprecates her, finding that her tears have slandered her face, which he declares is now his. He continues to press that she is his wife, even though she is quite evidently not having any part in this, though she can't muster the strength to deny him. After Juliet's apparent death, Paris visits the family tomb to mourn her. When Romeo arrives to take his own life beside her, as he is under the impression that she's really dead, Paris concludes he's here to somehow vandalize the tomb, and bounds out of his hiding spot to fight Romeo; leading into the last battle of the play. Paris's endeavors are in vain, as Romeo slays him after their brief duel. In his last breaths, Paris asks to be put aside Juliet in the tomb, and depending on the version, Romeo will or won't comply with his wish. Personality In some productions of the play, Paris can be seen as naive, unsuspecting and generally unaware of Juliet's discomfort. However, he can just as soon be interpreted as a controlling, disrespectful chauvinist who values Juliet less as a person, and more as a prize bound to him by law. Trivia *Interestingly, a large portion of performances and films of the play omit his final fight with Romeo, making him fall into obscurity after the 4th act, when his antagonistic role begins to propel. Category:Shakespeare Villains Category:Book Villains Category:Theatrical Villains Category:Type Dependent on Version Category:Love Rivals Category:In Love Category:Stalkers Category:Obsessed Category:Homicidal Category:Anti-Villain Category:Vengeful Category:On & Off Category:Deceased Category:Misogynists Category:Protective Category:Dimwits Category:Scapegoat Category:Aristocrats Category:Charismatic Category:Opportunists Category:Fighters Category:Betrayed Category:Control Freaks Category:Arrogant Category:Golddiggers